Apparatus for marking selected sections of a web material



Oct. 31, 1967 H. o. BENJAMIN ETAL 3,

APPARATUS FOR MARKING SELECTED SECTIONS OF A WEB MATERIAL Filed Feb. 23, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 2

. INVENTORS HARLEY O. BENJAMIN ALBION J. THOMPSON 1 azwmmm 7' 1, M,

ATTOR EYS locvt- 1957 H. o. BENJAMIN ETAL 3,349,611

APPARATUS FOR MARKING SELECTED SECTIONS OF A WEB MATERIAL Filed Feb. 23, 1965 S'Sheetsheet 2 hl iii FIIG.3

FIG. 4

/ r 26 I 27 r INVENTORS HARLEY O. BENJAMIN ALBION J. THOMPSON BY 6 441061, la/4 70 k a-l ATTORNEYS Oct. 31, 1967 3,349,611

APPARATUS FOR MARKING SELECTED SECTIONS OF A WEB MATERIAL H. o. BENJAMIN ETAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 23, l965 INVENTORS HARLEY o. BENJAMlN ALBION J. THOMPSON BY 1957 H. o.- BENJAMIN ETAL 3,3 ,6

APPARATUS 'FOR MARKING SELECTED SECTIONS QF A WEB MATERIAL Filed Feb. 23, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 :DH? Hill 15ml FIG. 9

INVENTORS HARLEY BENJAMIN ALBION J. THOMPSON BY ,Z'W C(mads m 4 ATTORNEYS 31, 1967 Hfo. BENJAMIN ETAL 3,349,511

APPARATUS FOR MARKING SELECTED SECTIONS OF A WEB MATERIAL Filed Feb. 25, 1965 5 SheetsSheet 5 I Q 5 m ii 57 lllnl lm 59 j 5 J 56 60 I'NYENTORS 54 HARLEY 0. BENJAMIN A LBION J. THOMPSON BY flow; If d; Kadm 7744 (404M ATTORNEYS United States. Patent 3,349,611 APPARATUS FOR MARKING SELECTED SECTIONS OF A WEB MATERIAL Harley 0. Benjamin and Albion James Thompson, Millinocket, Maine, assignors to Great Northern Paper Company, a corporation of Maine Filed Feb. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 434,560 8 Claims. (Cl. 73159) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosed apparatus marks sections of a moving web material which has detected irregularities. A marker delivery arm pivotably mounted alongside the moving web material delivers upon being activated a void marker at the area where the section is wound onto a roll.

This invention relates to marking selected sections of a web material as it is moved onto a winding roll and more particularly relates to a novel apparatus which operates in response to a signal to deliver a marker to the area Where a web material enters onto a winding roll.

In the manufacture, handling and inspection of web materials, such as paper, it is often necessary to mark selected sections of a continuous strip or web of the material. Identification of these sections may be done for a variety of reasons. For example, web materials manufactured and coated using present commercial processes often have flaws, voids or other irregularities in their webs or coated surfaces. Such irregularities make these web materials unsatisfactory for many uses and it is therefore necessary that the irregularities be repaired or that the sections of the material including the irregularities be removed.

Inspection of the web material is usually conducted as it comes off a producing and/or coating machine and before the material is wound onto a roll for storage or shipment. Inspection of the completed web material prior to Winding it onto rolls has been accomplished by visual inspection by the equipment operator or by detectors or other sensing devices. When a sensing device is used, it

is mounted at a suitable position adjacent the web material being conveyed to and wound on a roll. The operator manually inserts a marker in the form of a tag or other piece of marking material between the winding roll and the web material when he receives a visual or audible signal from the device or when he visually detects an irregularity. The marker or tag is inserted in such a manner that one of its ends protrudes past the edge of the wound roll thus providing a'ready identification of the section having the detected irregularity. A roll of material wound and marked in this manner is usually transported to another location where the marked irregularities are either repaired or the section including the irregularity is removed.

The disadvantages of this marking method are that it is diflicult for the operator to respond to the signal of the sensing device or to his own visual detection of irregularities in such a way that the tag or mark is inserted into the roll in the proper relation to the irregularities. The high speed of conveyance of the material and variations in the reactions and performance of each operator results in the inaccurate placing of the marker thus making subse quent unwinding of the roll and the locating of the irregularities in relation to the inserted markers a difiicult and lengthy task. Another disadvantage is the danger to the operators hands and arms in inserting a tag into the winding roll. In order tomake the insertion the operator must place his hand and arm in the area between the winding roll and the web material as it enters onto the roll. This area which is sometimes known as the nip area is a dangerous area to place a hand or arm because the web mterial or rotating roll will from time to time come in contact with the hand or arm, causing it to move farther into the nip where the squeezing action of the winding roll and the web material results in injury.

The present invention overcomes these difficulties by providing an apparatus which operates in response to a signal to deliver automatically a marker into the nip area where the tag is dispensed and firmly held by the squeezing action of the winding roll and web material as it moves onto and is wound around the roll.

Broadly, the present invention comprises an apparatus for delivering in response to a signal from an operator or a sensing device a marker to the area where the web material enters onto a roll comprising a movable member mounted adjacent thearea, power means for moving the member into and out of the area and means for actuating the power means. The movable member in turn comprises means for holding a marker until the marker is delivered to the area where it is either dropped or taken away by the action of the web material, the winding roll or both.

The movable means may also include means for automatically dispensing and delivering a plurality of markers so that a new marker is not required to be manually placed on the movable member after each cycle of operation of the apparatus.

In accordance with our invention the marker delivery device may be actuated by a signal from the operator or by a signal received from a suitably positioned sensing unit.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of our invention in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view illustrating the positions of the sensing unit and the marker delivery device in relationship to the web material and the roll onto which it is wound;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial plan view of FIG. 1 illustrating the sensing unit, the reel drum, the winding 'roll and the marker delivery device;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the marker delivery device;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the device'shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of the device shown in FIG. 5; a

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of another alternative embodiment of the marker device in accordance with our invention;

FIG. 9 is a front elevation of the device of FIG. 8; FIG. 10 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the delivery end of the device of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an elevation view of FIG. '11, and

FIG. '13 is a bottom view of FIG. 12 with a bottom plate removed. v

Referring to the drawing in detail and in particular to FIG. 1, it is seen that moving web material 1 moves from the last roll of calender 2 to guide spool 3 which is mounted on bracket 4 and then passes over reel drum 5 and onto winding roll 6. Rolls 5 and 6 are mounted on shafts 7 and 8 which are in turn mounted in bearings 9 and It respectively. Bearing 9' is fixed to foundation support 16 and bearing 10 is mounted in rolling engagement with support 16.

A sensing unit 11 is mounted on uprights 12 above and in'sensing contact with the moving web material 1 and a 3 marker delivery device 13 is positioned adjacent winding roll 6 on foundation support 16. A pivotable arm 14 of the device 13, the operation of which is described more fully hereafter, is shown in its upright position.

Roll is a roll of web material which has been wound and moved to one side. Support 16, together with a foundation support positioned substantially parallel to it (not shown), carries the additional bearings for the shafts 7 and 8 and also supports roll 15.

Turning now to FIG. 2, web material 1 is shown moving under sensing unit 11 over reel drum 5 and onto winding roll 6. Shafts 7 and 8 of rolls 5 and 6, respectively, are journalled in bearings 9 and 10, winding roll 6 being driven by reel drum 5 which is urged into frictional engagement therewith by lugs 17 which are mounted for movement in foundation support 16 and which urge roll 6 toward drum 5. Marker delivery device 13 is mounted on support 16 through base plates 19. Arm 14 is shown in this figure in its horizontal position with marker 20 at its end such that the end of arm 14 and marker 20 are in the nip area, which is the area where moving web 1 enters onto winding roll 6.

An operator controlled switch S is mounted on support 16 and is connencted through a suitable electrical circuit (not shown) to a power means, as described hereafter, by which the arm 14 may be moved from a vertical position to a horizontal position.

Reference is made to FIGS. 3 and 4 in which the arm 14 of the marker delivery device 13 is shown pivotably mounted on frame 21 by means of bolt 22. Arm 14 is connected to a solenoid armature 23 through bolt 24, and the armature in turn is mounted for reciprocating movement in solenoid coil 25 which is bolted to frame 21. Solenoid coil 25 is secured to frame 21 through bolts 28 and the frame 21 is welded to plate 19. When the solenoid coil is energized, armature 23 moves up causing arm 14 to move to its horizontal operative position and when the coil is de-energized, the weight of the armature is great enough to return the arm to its vertical position.

Arm 14 includes blade 26 having flexible fingers 27 for receiving and holding in frictional engagement marker 20.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate an alternative embodiment of marker delivery device 13 in which arm 14 is moved from its upstanding position to the horizontal position by an energized solenoid coil 25. When the coil is de-energized arm 14 returns to its upstanding position by action of spring 29 which is mounted between plate 19 and the end of arm 14.

FIGS. 813 illustrate still another alternative embodiment of the marker delivery device which includes an arm 14 pivotably mounted on frame 21 through pins 30. Arm 14 is moved from its horizontal operative position, as shown, to its upstanding rest position and back down again through the action of air cylinder arrangement 31 including air cylinder 32, piston 33, piston rod 34 and pivotable connection 35. Pivotable connection 35 includes a pair of ears 36 secured to the underside of arm 14 and a pin 37 inserted through holes in the ears and through a hole in piston rod 34. Air cylinder arrangement 31 is mounted on frame 21 at a position offset from the pivot point 30 of arm 14 so that the reciprocation of piston rod 34 by selective introduction of compressed air above and below piston cylinder 33 cause arm 14 to move up and down.

Directing attention to FIGS. 10 and 11, it is seen that this embodiment of the marker delivery device includes means for successively dispensing lengths or portions of a strip of marking material and means for cutting the lengths or portions off to form markers which drop into the delivery or nip area. A magazine 38 which holds a roll of marking material 39 is mounted on arm 14. The material is pulled out of magazine 38 by action of a first rubber feeder roll 40 and a second rubber feeder roll 41 and is pushed and dispensed out of arm 14 by action of these rolls. The first rubber feeder roll 40 is driven by sprocket-pulley 42 which engages pawl 43 on roll 40 when sprocket-pulley 42 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 10. The sprocketpulley is driven by continuous bead chain loop 44 which is held fixed relative to frame 21 by spring mounted hook 45 (FIG. 9). Chain loop 44 which is held fixed relative to hook 45 and fixed pulley 47 moves relative to guide pulleys 46 and rotatable drive sprocket-pulley 42. Sprocket-pulley 42 may have any suitable internal configuration or composition to effect a substantial positive drive between it and bead chain 44.

When arm 14 is rotated to its upstanding position, sprocket-pulley 42 moves relative to fixed chain loop 44 causing sprocket-pulley 42 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 10. Pawl 43 on first rubber roll 40 engages sprocket-pulley 42 and together with roll 41 a portion of marking material 39 is dispensed from arm 14. When the arm is lowered sprocket-pulley 42 rotates in a clockwise direction and since pawl 43 does not engage with it, no material is dispensed.

Directing attention to FIGS. 10-13, it is seen that the portion of marking material moved out past the end of arm 14 is cut off by knife blade 48 when knife blade holder 49 is rotated about pivot pin 50. Holder 49 is caused to rotate when slide 51 having cam slot 52 therein is moved toward the dispensing end or arm 14. Cam follower 53 is secured to knife holder 49. Slide 51 is pivotably connected to linkage 54 which abuts stop 55 (FIG. 8) just before arm 14 reaches its horizontal position. As arm 14 continues its downward swing, linkage 54 moves toward the dispensing end of arm 14 pushing slide 51 ahead of it.

Slide 51 has slots 56 in it which receive guide pins 57. Plate 58 is secured to the bottom of pins 57 by screws 59. Flat spring 66 is secured to holder 49 which assists in holding the marking material as it is being cut by blade 48.

The operation of the apparatus of our invention is as follows. When the sensing unit 11 or the operator transmits a signal to actuate the arm operating means of a marker dispensing device 13, a marker is automatically delivered to the nip area. If the operator detects an irregularity or for some other reason wishes to insert a marker to identify the beginning or end of a section of the web material being wound, he operates switch S to actuate the arm operating power means. These signals received by arm power means of the marker delivery device cause the pivotable arm 14 to move downward into the nip area to deliver marker 20 to the delivery area. After marker 20 is delivered by being dropped or by being picked-0E, the arm 14 returns to its upstanding position where a new tag is manually or automatically positioned at the end of the arm. The arm is then ready to receive another signal and repeat this cycle of operation.

In the operation of the marker delivery device illustrated in FIGS. 8-13, piston rod 34 is caused to be moved upward by opening a valve in a valve port (not shown) of cylinder 32 below piston 33 to admit compressed air and, similarly, piston rod 34 is lowered by admitting compressed air above piston 33. Any suitable valve operating means such as a solenoid arrangement may be used to operate the air cylinder valves. Piston rod 34 moves up causing arm 14 to swing to its upstanding position. As arm 14 rotates under stationary bead chain loop 44, sprocket-pulley 42 is caused to rotate and its engagement with roller 40 through pawl 43 causes a length of marking material 39 to be drawn out of magazine 38 and dispensed past the end of the arm. The arm including the portion of protruding marking material remains in its upstanding position until a signal is received by the air cylinder valve operating means causing compressed air to be admitted to cylinder 32. Arm 14 then starts down and reaches the end of its downward swing linkage 54 abuts stop 55 causing slide 51 to move out toward the dispensing end of arm 14 and in turn moving cam follower 53 toward the strip of marking material 39. Follower 53 carries knife holder 49 and knife blade 48 into cutting position where the protruding length of marking material is cut off and delivered to the nip area.

Our invention has applicability in marking and identification of web material for purposes other than correcting irregularities in the Web or coating of a material. The apparatus of our invention may be used to mark the beginning and end of quality or grade conditions, to measure running feet of material produced, or for any other purpose where it is desired to place a marker into a winding roll of web material.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for marking with a void marker a section of the web material having a detected irregularity while the section is entering into an area where the web is wound onto the roll comprising,

(a) an arm member pivotably mounted for movement around an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roll, said arm being adapted to carry a marker at a free end with said free end being mounted near and movable into and out of said area;

(b) power means for pivoting said arm member, and

(c) actuating means for actuating the power means whereby the arm member is pivoted by said power means to move the marker into said area between the moving web and winding roll whereby the marker will be delivered to said area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for actuating the power means is a manually operated switch.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for actuating the power means is a sensing unit responsive to web irregularities positioned adjacent the moving web.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the arm member has fingers at its free end for carrying the marker and in which the power means for moving the member is a solenoid.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 having in addition a strip of marking material and in which the arm member for carrying and delivering the marker in turn comprises a frame, an element pivotably mounted on the frame, a magazine mounted on the element for holding the strip of marking material, means for dispensing successive portions of the strip to the end of the element, driving means for driving the dispensing means, and cutting means for cutting off each portion of the strip so dispensed to form individual markers successively delivered to said area.

6. An apparatus for delivering a void marker to the area where a section of web material is wound onto a roll comprising,

(a) a frame a portion of which the web material;

(b) a member pivotably mounted on the frame having a first portion carrying a void marker, the member being pivotably movable around an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roll;

is positioned alongside (0) means for holding a marker in frictional engagement secured to the end of a first portion of the member;

(d) a solenoid including a solenoid armature mounted on the frame;

(e) a solenoid armature connected to the first portion of the member;

(f) a spring connected to a second portion of the member, and

(g) means for activating the solenoid whereby the solenoid causes rotation of the member in one direction and deactivation of the solenoid permits the spring to rotate the member in the other direction.

7. Apparatus for delivering a void marker to the area where a section of web material enters onto a roll comprising,

(a) aframe;

(b) a member pivotably mounted on the frame in a first position, the member being pivotable around an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the :axis of rotation of the roll;

(c) means at one end of the member for holding a marker in frictional engagement;

(d) a solenoid including a solenoid armature mounted on the frame;

(e) the solenoid armature connnected to the other end of the member, and

(f) means for activating the solenoid whereby the activation of the solenoid causes the member to rotate to a second position to deliver a marker and deactivation of the solenoid causes the member to return to the first position.

8. An apparatus for successively delivering a plurality of void markers to areas where sections of a Web material enter onto a roll comprising,

(a) a frame;

(b) an arm pivotably mounted on the frame for movement around an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roll;

(0) a magazine mounted on the arm for holding a strip of marking material;

((1) means for dispensing the strip from the magazine out to the end of the arm;

(e) means for driving the dispensing means, and

(f) means for cutting off portions of the strip to form markers whereby a plurality of markers are successively delivered to said area.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,547,644 4/ 1-951 Hogue et a1 24256.1 3,269,178 8/1966 Kohler 73159 3,273,816 9/1966 Fanning 242-56.1

'DAVID SCHONBERG, Primary Examiner, 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR MARKING WITH A VOID MARKER A SECTION OF THE WEB MATERIAL HAVING A DETECTED IRREGULARITY WHILE THE SECTION IS ENTERING INTO AN AREA WHERE THE WEB IS WOUND ONTO THE ROLL COMPRISING, (A) AN ARM MEMBER PIVOTABLY MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT AROUND AN AXIS WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE ROLL, SAID ARM BEING ADAPTED TO CARRY A MARKER AT A FREE END WITH SAID FREE END BEING MOUNTED NEAR AND MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF SAID AREA; (B) POWER MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID ARM MEMBER, AND (C) ACTUATING MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE POWER MEANS WHEREBY THE ARM MEMBER IS PIVOTED BY SAID POWER MEANS TO MOVE THE MARKER INTO SAID AREA BETWEEN THE MOVING WEB AND WINDING ROLL WHEREBY THE MARKER WILL BE DELIVERED TO SAID AREA. 